Publications by authors named "Michael J Spear"
Article Synopsis
- Freshwater ecosystems are important for studying how invasive species affect biological communities, particularly using insights from long-term research in North Temperate Lakes.
- Key findings indicate that invasive species are often more common than previously thought, tend to be in low numbers, and can rapidly increase in response to environmental changes.
- The study highlights the potential for significant impacts on ecosystems, the importance of monitoring reservoirs as hotspots for invasions, and that removal efforts can benefit ecosystems in the long run.
Rivers are increasingly used as superhighways for the continental-scale transportation of freight goods, but the ecological impact of large vessel traffic on river ecosystems is difficult to study. Recently, the temporary maintenance closure of lock and dam systems on the Illinois Waterway (USA) brought commercial vessel traffic to a halt along the river's length, offering a rare opportunity to study the response of the ecosystem before, during, and after an extended pause of this persistent anthropogenic disturbance. We observed improvements in main- and side-channel water quality and a redistribution of fish habitat-use during a months-long, near-complete reduction of large vessel traffic.
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